A New Year A New Diet !!

 Happy new year to you. This is your year to feel better and be happier . If you are new to the diet you probable have  know tis that your not so depressed as you feel better. Depression is common when you do not know why you were feeling so bad before you get your diagnosis. When you get diagnose you really see that you are depressed because you are lets face it in shock of having to change your diet to gluten free. After a short while you will see that this is not a bad diet. Food  is different but good you don't have to miss out on a thing. It is still there every thing that you like to eat just gluten free. Soon you will know tis  that life is great again and you are happy and most importantly you feel GOOD and have energy like you never had before. So hay have a Happy New Year.
Pamela

Hope you had a Merry Christmas!!

 I have been on holiday so it has been several days. I hope you all had a great Christmas. My advice tonight is freezing is your friend . The reason why is what ever you have left over freeze it!! Baked goodies, Main dishes, or what ever you have left from Christmas. Gluten free doe's not stay good very long because it is different all the way around. It will go bad fast even in your refrigerator. Freezing will keep it fresher longer. Trust me it works.So just remember freezing is your friend. Have a good night.
Pamela

Information for you

A little about me. In 2003 I co-founded a support group at St. Marks Hospital. A year latter we affiliated with GIG ( Gluten Intolerance Group ) . The group meets every second Tuesday of every month. It has been a great experience for me and believe it or not it grows every month. This is free for you just come. We can help you and get you on your way to the gluten free diet. I also have been teaching gluten free cooking classes since 2003 an tell today. I also work at a gluten free store called Against the grain a great place to shop at. You don't have to read labels just enjoy you can look at every thing and buy what you want knowing that it is OK . You see my life is gluten free helping people that is what I love to do! I am in Salt Lake City Utah the address for the store is 2292 west 5400 south. If you live close come in and see me I would love to talk to you. Have a great night!
Pamela

This is the big Christmas week

 I know that every one is running trying to get ready for Christmas. I here you me too. Christmas eve is at my brothers house and my assignment is funeral potatoes. So I just need to convert recipe to gluten free. Not a problem just think about it. All I have to change is the cream of chicken soup. This is simple make your own cream of chicken soup! You use chicken broth and thicken it with cornstarch, potato starch or tapioca starch then add milk and what ever seasonings you want and wa la you are there. Oh and on top gluten free corn flakes. I think they come out better this way more flavor and know one can tell. You are the best cook and definitely take the praise you deserve it. Have a great evening.
Pamela

About Last Night

 We had our support group GIG last night at St.Marks Hospital. It was fun to try out so many different kinds of cookies. Thank you all for your support!! The cookies that I made came out good also a new recipe from Tom Sawyer gluten free flour. It was so easy so I am going to post it for you to try. Remember that if there is some thing that you can not have change what you need to make it to work for you.

Chocolate Topped Cherry Cookies

2 1/4 cups Tom's flour blend
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 cup butter softened
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. almond extract
1/2 cup chopped, maraschino cherries
1/4 cup pecans, chopped

Preheat oven 350 F

In a large bowl combine all ingredients, except cherries and pecans. Blend well at low speed. Stir in cherries and pecans; mix throughly. using a teaspoonful, shape into balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Cookies will spread slightly. Bake for 15-18 minutes. Cool. Top with chocolate frosting.

Chocolate Frosting

2 Tbsp. cocoa
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1/4 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. melted butter
1/4 cup maraschino cherry juice
3 cups powdered sugar

 Mix first 4 ingredients till cocoa is dissolved. Mix in cherry juice. Gradually add powdered sugar alternately with enough HOT water until it is of spreading consistency. Frost cookies.
I also put some sprinkles on top. They were cute. This is very easy I hope you will try it. Have a good night.
Pamela

Did something new

  Yesterday I tried a new recipe from Namaste foods. It came our really good you need to try this!

Brownie Mint Ice Cream Cake
1 Namaste foods brownie mix
1/2 gallon mint chocolate chip ice cream - softened
1 container whipped topping - softened
15 crushed peppermint candies or candy canes
chocolate syrup

Bake brownies according to package directions in a 9x13 pan.
Spread softened ice cream in an even layer over brownies.
Spread even layer of whipped topping over ice cream.
Drizzle chocolate syrup over cake.
Sprinkle crushed peppermint candies evenly on top.
Refreeze for at least one hour before serving.

I have to say very easy! fun and very very good. My family loved it. Take a chance you will love it to!
Have a great night.
Pamela

Fast and simple!

 As I promised here is the rolo caramel pretzel recipe.

One bag rolo candies
A bag of pretzels twists, Glutino or Ener-G
A bag of pecans
Put some parchment paper on a cookie sheet . Put the pretzels down and put a rolo on top of it. Put as many on the cookie sheet as you can. Heat the oven to 200. Place the pretzels in the oven and cook for 7 minutes. The rolos will look shiny pull them out and press a pecan on top smashing the warm rolo on to the pretzel. Then enjoy! simple and fast. Have a great night.
Pamela

Some thing fun

 Ok so you may want to show people that gluten free foods are good, I mean look good ,taste good. So no one can tell it is gluten free. Maybe you don't want to cook OK! You really don't have to. There are great products out there. Glutino is very good with cookies, chocolate pretzels or even yogurt pretzels or just a simple pretzel and you can put a Rollo candy on top and melt it a little in the oven and  it comes out great. Also there is Udi's they have great muffins, pizza crust,and cinnamon rolls. you can also get cookie dough WOW and Glutenfreedas are the best I think. There are so many Product out there. You just have to look and you will be amazed and so will they. Have fun with it.
Pamela

Going to holiday party's

 The last four nights I have been at holiday dinner party's. Tis the time to have the gluten free challenge. So far my husband has not had any good luck. In fact Saturday he got really sick on a gluten free menu item that we have had before. The reason I tell you this is that if  you get through this season with out getting sick your doing great. You never know when some one that does  not under stand what they are doing. Like for instance I think that they put croutons on my husbands salad. Then seeing that his order was with out  croutons because his order was off the gluten free menu they just picked them off instead of remaking it. But I do not know fore sure that is just a possibility's. Just don't get discouraged this will happen from time to time. You still need to be normal and do things just like every one else. Remember this will not happen every time. So enjoy your holiday season, YOU will make it through. Have a great night.
Pamela

Baking tip tonight

I know many of you are new to this diet and the shock of how much it cost to buy gluten free food is really hard to swallow. You might think that doing your recipes from scratch is cheaper. Sorry to say, You may be a great baker but gluten free is a whole different ball game in every way. By the time you buy all of the different flours and starches and add on other things like ultra gel, egg replacer, gelatin, and xanthan gum a must, and so on. The cost becomes very big. You want it to look good and taste good. Also you always have a big chance it will just not work out and I mean not at all. It will go in to the garbage and you will cry at the money you lost.This still happens to me and I have been doing this since the dark ages. Trust me start easy buy it all ready done get a feel on the taste and texture first.When you feel like you want to make some thing use a simple and I mean simple mix get how it works and feels and bakes out. It will be different! Take your time. Then after some time if you want to do recipes than go for it .This will be a cheaper way for you. And you will do better. And be happier with what you make.Good luck and good night.
Pamela